The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE DEADLY SIDEWALK

STEP ON A CRACK YOU BREAK (YOUR MOTHER'S OR ANYONE NAMED)
BACK.
STEP ON A LINE YOU BREAK (NAME) SPINE.

Submitter comment: THIS CHANT WAS SUNG WHILE WALKING DOWN THE PAVEMENT AND
GREAT CARE WAS TAKEN TO MISS ALL LINES AND CRACKS IN THE
SIDEWALK (UNLESS YOU WISHED TO HARM SOMEONE IN THE
FANTASY & THEN THE CRACKS AND LINES WERE AIMED FOR).
I RECALL THE VERSE FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD BUT FROM NO
SPECIFIC INFORMANT.

Where learned: EARLY CHILDHOOD

Date learned: EARLY CHILDHOOD

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